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Tuesday, May 10, 2011

REVIEW: Easy Walk Harness

﻿We recently got a chance to review the Easy Walk Harness from Premier. All of the Lapdogs wear martingale collars on a daily basis, but when going for walks or to public events, I prefer the added control and safety of a harness.

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The Lapdogs have not had any formal obedience training and we're pretty laxed about things, so they all tend to be easily distracted and can sometimes be pullers. The Easy Walk Harness seemed like a great solution for Teutul, as it is designed to gently discourage dogs from pulling while walking on a leash. Instead of having the leash attachment on the back, the Easy Walk Harness features a front-chest attachment which stops pulling by tightening slightly across the dog's chest and shoulder blades. This gentle pressure steers the dog to the side, thus redirecting his attention back towards you.

The Easy Walk Harness is a three piece harness designed for ease of use. If you've ever had one of those "where does this go" moments when trying to get your dog in a harness, you can rest assured with this system. The top is marked with an Easy Walk label and goes over the top. The belly strap that goes underneath the dog is made of a contrasting color, making it easily identifiable even in a hurried situation. The chest strap has a martingale loop and d-ring on it for attaching the leash. Made of soft, but strong nylon and having four adjustable points, the Easy Walk Harness allows for the best fit and maximum comfort. There are quick snap buckles on both the shoulder and belly straps which make it easier to get the harness on and off.

The Easy Walk Harness is available in six color combinations: Red/Cranberry, Royal Blue/Navy, Green/Black, Fawn/Brown, Deep Purple/Black and Black/Silver. We received the Fawn/Brown for review, along with a matching Fawn leash.

You can find the Easy Walk Harness at a Premier retailer near you. Visit their store locator or find an online retailer here. Stay tuned for a review of another unique Premier product, the Kool Dogz Ice Treat Maker. We'll be reviewing it just as soon as the heat hits - Teutul can't wait!

Hi Channon ~ You're welcome to call our customer service dept to help see if we can't get Sis to stay in her EWH :) 800-933-5595, or email webinquiry@premier.com and include some photos of the dog wearing the harness. The Easy Walk comes in "tweener" sizes so wondering if that might be what she needs.

A book I read recently, "When Pigs Fly," recommended clipping the leash on the Easy Walk Harness and bring the loop on the collar to the front and clip the leash clasp through there too. That keeps wily dogs from squirming out and if the harness does fall off you are still hooked up to the dog's collar, keeping them safe.

I really like the concept of the Easy Walk Harness , however, there is a design flaw which caused me to stop using it. The shoulder strap and the belly strap snap buckle connects in the right "armpit" of our 14 pound Cairn terrier. It caused irritation and eventually a sore spot. She is not a dog that pulls. This occurred during normal walking.

I took this concern to PetSmart, where we purchased it and was told in so many words, "too bad".

I wrote to Premier with the same information and never heard back from them.

I also loved the harness but not the placement of the buckle. The buckle is plastic and must be snapped absolutely perfectly to catch. Given the placement of the buckle and the wiggliness of my pup, this was nearly impossible. I didn't have to worry about it for ling though, because the first time it was left down, the pup chewed it up. Plastic... grr.